


The wedding

by ManuelaCampana



Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Claire as a cooker, Claire is confuse about feelings, Cliche, F/M, Falling In Love, Jamie as a photographer, Marriage, Wedding, claire and jamie are made for each other, drunk couple, the pair that was cheated fall in love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:41:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26619874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManuelaCampana/pseuds/ManuelaCampana
Summary: Claire is a professional cooker that doesn't believe in love anymore.Jamie is a charming photographer.Both were hired to work on their ex's wedding, Frank and Laoghaire.What happen when they both met?
Relationships: Claire Beauchamp & Jamie Fraser, Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser, Geillis Duncan/Dougal Mackenzie
Comments: 124
Kudos: 96





	1. The day

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, I'm sorry I suck on writing summaries, I promise the story is better than that.  
> Anyway, I'm also sorry for making Laoghaire and Frank as a couple. I know, it's disgusting...But that's not the focus, actually, they have no lines so...Whatever.  
> Since English i;s not my maternal language, I'm sorry for any mistake.

Everybody loves weddings. Flowers everywhere, an enormous cake, shiny rings, emotional speeches, a perfect bouquet, a wonderful dress and love.  
Of course, it’s a ceremony that celebrates the love between two people, that’s why people adore it so much.  
Except for Claire that day.  
Since Frank, her ex boyfriend, left her to marry a young blonde student of him, she officially hates weddings. She hated how everybody was hypocrite and acted like relationships were perfect like crystal. She hated how people pretended that love lasted forever, she hated how relationships turned so artificial now days.  
She stopped believing in love, that’s the fact. She believed that nothing could last forever, and that, somehow, every romantic relationship has an inevitable end. Deep inside, a tiny part of her wanted someone to change her mind, to change this feeling and lack of hope.

That day, in specific, was the wedding day of Frank and Laoghaire. Claire could never forget about the fact that he had broken up with her just three months ago.  
Of course they were together much time before that, she just hadn’t realized until she find out they were suddenly marrying. She remember him being late after his classes, but she would never imagine that he was cheating on her.  
 _Apparently, sometimes we just don’t really know the person we sleep with. Sometimes, we don’t know people as much as we thought._

Claire just wanted to drink all day long. She just wanted to be alone on her own, drinking and watching romantic movies until she fall asleep.  
The problem is that she couldn’t, because Frank called her to make the bloody cake of the wed, almost like he wanted to torture her.  
She had a bakery known for having the best cakes of the city. Cooking has always been her passion, it was one of the things that reminded her mother, when Claire used her recipes, she found herself in peace.

She considered to refuse it, but wedding cakes were expansive and she needed that money. Besides, Claire knew that it would hurt, but somehow, it would make her finally move on and accept that. She thought that if she cooked that cake, she would recover all situation.

However, she was completely wrong. When she woke up that day, she still intended to drink a lot of alcohol that day on the wed, almost like a promise. She hadn’t moved on as she planned, she was still hurt.

The wedding would happen on an open field, and Claire should drive the cake there before the ceremony starts. Of course she could screw things up on purpose, but she didn’t.  
Frank left her, and although it hurts, she needed to let it go.

When she arrived there, she saw a few people organizing chairs and tables around the field.  
Claire wasn’t on the mood of talking to Frank, so she went to the opposite direction while the best man tried to take off the big cake of the car. She could have left after that, but she ended up on the drink’s table for her happiness. She was anxious to start drinking as long as she could.

After the second glass of whiskey, she hear a voice behind her.

‘’What are ye doing?’’

For one moment, Claire froze with the possibility of being Frank, but as long as she didn’t recognize the voice, she just chilled.

‘’I’m drinking, what else could I do on a wedding?’’

‘’Can I joy you?’’ The voice asked.

‘’Actually no, I want to drink all alcohol alone.’’ She didn’t want company.

‘’You stole my plain, that’s not fair!’’ He accused.

‘’I don’t care, I need this alcohol. I made the promise of drinking on this weeding until the last drop of alcohol dry.’’ Claire answered.

‘’And I promise that today I would drink until I get kicked out.’’ He said.

This phrase made her curious, so she turned her attention to the owner of the voice for the first time. The man was Jamie Fraser, a tall Scottish that had the same intentions as Claire.

‘’Kicked out? So are you a gatecrasher?’’ She whispered.

‘’Technically yes. I'm here to work.’’ He appointed to the professional camera on his neck. ‘’I shouldn't be drinking...But it’s my ex’s wedding, so whatever.’’

_Ex’s wedding? Wait...  
_

‘’What do you mean ex’s wed? Are you Laoghaire’s ex?’’ Claire seemed confused, trying to connect the dots. The fact that someone besides her was hurt because of the wedding surprised her.

‘’Yes, but as I can see, you are not a guess either, right, Sassenach?”’ He took a sip of whiskey.

‘’How did you find out?’’ Claire frowned, while serving herself another glass of whiskey.

‘’Since you arrived, you hadn’t smile and you went to the opposite direction of the fiance, so...’’

‘’...So are you watching me?’’ She stared at him, with a smile in her face and her hands on the hip.

Jaime smiled to her.

‘’You caught my attention since I saw you arriving and, well, I can say you are feeling displaced like me.’’

‘’We could drink together, I am also going through a thing.’’ Claire said, omitting the fact that she was also cheated. ‘’But on silence, please.’’

‘’Can I ask you something first?’’ His big blue eyes looked at her, seriously.

Claire thought a little before nodding.

‘’Why are you drinking on a wedding day? This cheap whiskey is terrible.’’ Jamie made a face.

‘’What makes you think I have a reason?’’

‘’You must have one.’’

‘’The same as you. I was cheated by the fiance.’’ Claire answered, finishing another glass. ‘’And you’re right, this whiskey sucks.’’

Jamie looked at her, shocked.

‘’Wait, he cheated on you? Impossible!’’

‘’Super possible, look by yourself, we’re on their wedding.’’ She appointed with her head on the direction of the engaged.

The redhead rolled his eyes after hearing her obviously observation.

‘’Yeah, I know...But you? I mean, why Frank would trade you for Laoghaire? It doesn’t make sense.’’

‘’You tell me, I mean, you dated her.’’ The Englishwoman said, with a little disdain on her voice.

‘’And I already know that you’re much better than her, I mean, I don’t know your personality at all but in terms of beauty, you totally win.’’

‘’You are just saying that because you’re drunk.’’ Claire blushed. She never knew how to react to compliments.

  
‘’I swear I’m not drunk... _yet_.’’ The Scottish gave emphases on the last word, drinking another glass on whiskey. ‘’And I’m a photographer, I can say when someone is beautiful.’’

  
‘’Well, if we are going to be honest...I don’t understand how Laoghaire prefers Frank instead of you, you are clearly hotter.’’ Claire left the whiskey dominate her words. She wasn't audacious like that, but for some reason, she felt comfortable next to him.

  
The Scotsman burst out laughing, he wasn’t waiting such a comment.

  
‘’Look, just because I praised you, that doesn’t mean you need to do the same.’’ He said, not believing on her.

  
‘’I’m being honest, you’re very handsome.’’ The English said, turning her body on his direction and making Jamie’s heart vibrate.

  
‘’Well, to the bride and groom.’’ Jamie said, raising his glass full of whiskey.

  
‘’To the bride and groom.’’ Claire repeated before she drank all the glass.

  
After seconds of silence, Jaime said:

  
‘’Sassenach, I know I promised that we would kept on silence but...There is this question that is killing me.’’

  
‘’Go on, what’s it?’’

  
‘’Why are you on you ex’s wedding? I mean, I’m here because I need money...But why are you here?’’

  
‘’You’re a very curious man as I can see, Mr. Photographer...Well, I’m also here because of work. Do you see that cake?’’

  
‘’No way you cooked that cake.’’ Jaime said, smiling as a child.

  
‘’You’re looking to the cooker.’’ Claire proudly said.

  
‘’I’m impressed, I can’t wait for experiment a piece of that cake.’’

  
‘’I can cook for you anytime.’’

  
They shared a look for seconds, as if they understand each other’s pain. As if they were not sharing just a simple look, but also an emotional pain.

‘’I intended to pass the wedding drinking but...Can I pass it with you?’’ Claire blushed, as if she had asked him on a date.

‘’It would be an honor, lady. This people are all boring, there’s no one I’d rather be with.’’

  
They were observing the ceremony begin while whispering to each other. They were so close that they looked like a couple from far.

‘’So...How long do you think it’s gonna long?” The English accent on her voice made the Scots' skin crawl.

‘’What, the wedding?’’ He looked like confused.

‘’No, their marriage. My guess is three months.’’ She said, wetting her lips on the whiskey glass.

‘’You are bad, Sassenach.’’ He gave her a side smile. ‘’What makes you think it’s not forever?”

‘’Because everything ends eventually, it’s just a matter of time.’’ She explained.

‘’So you don’t believe in soul mates?”

‘’I think it’s something people want to believe because it’s comforting, but no, I don’t think soul mates exist.’’

Jamie didn’t say anything. He kept thinking about this while he swings the whiskey in his glass. He had always believed that existed the right woman to him, his father always told him that...But when he listened to Claire’s point of view, he started to question his own beliefs. Maybe the whiskey was messing with his head, or maybe the beauty girl in front of him was messing with him. Part of him was disappointed, because that could mean that she would never be with someone forever, and that was something he really intended to.

‘’But part of me always knew that Laoghaire and I weren’t made least...I mean, I liked her but I never saw a future with her, or some kind of connection...maybe that’s why she broke up with me.''

‘’No, she broke up with you because she is a bitch.’’ Claire corrected him. ‘’Don’t blame yourself.’’

‘’But you know what? I’m actually glad for them.’’

‘’You are? I would prefer them going to hell.’’

‘’Yeah but, if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have met you.’’ Jamie said, and although he was a little bit drunk, that came directly from his heart.  
Her heartbeat speed up, she didn’t know if it was the feeling of being on the wedding, or if the reason was the Scot charm. Of course it was the second option.  
After the engaged said yes, Jamie snorted.

‘’Well, I think I have to go there, take some pictures of...You know.’’ Jamie rolled his eyes. ‘’Don’t go anywhere, I wanna take some pictures of you after.’’

‘’Go there, my favorite photographer.’’

For some reason, Claire’s heart raced on a way she never felt before. She didn’t know why the words ‘’my photographer’’ came. It just came naturally.  
He smiled and walked away, leaving Claire with her own thoughts.

Claire was feeling like a silly teenager. She had drink a lot and she didn’t want to mix the feeling of loneliness with the charming guy she just had met. She didn’t feel right falling in love on her ex’s wedding.  
But she noticed that she wasn’t feeling sad anymore. She wasn’t feeling disposable.  
Something about the photographer made her eyes glow.  
It sounded crazy to her the possibility of falling in love with a totally stranger, so she decided to blame the whiskey.

Suddenly, she felt a flash on her face. Claire rubbed her eyes.

‘’Do you wanna let me blind?”

‘’Sorry, I was distracted by your beauty.’’ He smiled. ‘’I forgot to turn off the lights.’’

‘’I’m pretty sure the married won’t like to see my photos on their wedding album.’’

‘’It’s not for them, It’s for me. Your beauty should be registered, I’m calling it ‘Sassenach’.’’ He said, showing her the photo on the screen of the camera.  
Claire was all embarrassed with the investments of the photographer. She felt desired, and she missed that feeling.

‘’Why ' _Sassenach_?'”

‘’You’re a legitimate Sassenach, that’s why.’’ Jamie answered, as if the point was obvious.

‘’What do you mean?” Claire asked, confused.

‘’I mean, I thought you would invade the wed, not my heart.’’ Jamie side smiled.

‘’I didn’t invade the wed.’’ Claire laughed. ‘’it was bad, but cute.’’

‘’You know what else is bad? That bloody whiskey. Really, who choose that thing?’’

They couldn’t stop laughing.

‘’I bet it was Frank, he always had a bad taste.’’

‘’I disagree, he dated the most beautiful English woman of the world.’’

They were closer than they should be. Closer enough to people who just met. Their eyes found each other. It was like they were both hypnotized.  
They lips were almost touching each other. Jamie could feel her accelerated breath on his month.  
When they were about to kiss, a voice interrupted the moment:

  
‘’You’re an adorable couple, can I take a picture of you?” And old lady appeared. ‘’You remind me so much of me and my husband when we were younger!’’

‘’We’re no-’’

‘’Sure!’’ Claire said, nervous. She didn’t know what she lied.  
Suddenly, she backed to the reality. What was she doing? Kissing a stranger? She didn’t even know his name! They weren’t a couple!  
Jamie looked at her, surprised. Although he wasn’t waiting for it, he liked to wonder being on a relationship with that pretty lady.

‘’Well, of course.’’ Jamie blushed, while giving to the lady the camera. ‘’Here is the button to take the picture.’’  
Then  
Then the adorable lady gave them a big smile. ‘’You’re gonna have beautiful kids.’’  
Claire was terrify with all embarrassed situation.

‘’Can you take photos of us?’’ A group of people appeared around Jamie.

‘’I- I have to go. I’m sorry.’’ She said, nervous. She just want to escape, she felt so confused.

‘’Wait, but...’’  
Claire just ran away, feeling stupid. A lot of thing happened that day, it had been an emotional day.

‘’...But I don’t even know your name.’’ Jamie said, watching the lady he fell in love, disappear.


	2. Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire is passing though a crises when she realized that she is nourishing feeling for someone.  
> At the same time, she promised to Geillis a hen party before she get married.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna thank you all for all comments and support, I wasn't waiting for so much love!  
> I have been writing it some days ago, and only yesterday I had the courage to post it. I'm new at this site, so I'm still learning how to use it hahaha  
> Well, enjoy another chapter :)

It had been one month since that wedding happened, since _him_ happened.

And Claire still couldn’t sleep well. Since that day, she couldn’t get a wink of sleep, actually. Anxiety was controlling her mind.

The worst part is that wasn’t the reason she expected. The reason was _him._ The photographer.

Every time she closed her eyes, her heartbeat speed up and her mind started to process every detail of the moment where they almost kissed. She felt obsessed with him, like if he was living on her brain.

_Why did I have to run away? Why!?_

_What if we had kiss?  
_

Claire was freaking out. She had never felt so anxious like that before, she never felt so affected by someone, specially someone she barely knew. It didn't make sense to her feeling this way for someone strange.

_Bloody handsome Scottish! What are you doing to me?_

First she thought it was something irrelevant, just a phase...She kept saying to herself that it wasn’t a big deal, but deep on her soul, she knew that was a lie. After a month, she started to consider the possibility of getting crazy.

Claire felt regret, that's the fact. She should have stayed. She should have asked his number. She felt a rare connection with that man, and she just though it away because she was scare.

She hit her forehead several times, trying to stop the ocean of thoughts that were haunting her mind on the middle of night.

_Stupid beautiful red hair, stupid side smiled, stupid me. Why life can't be like the movies?_

She was already getting used to not sleep, the only problem was that the next day she promised to take her best friend, Geillis, to an unforgettable hen night, so she _needed_ to sleep well if she wanted to keep her word.

Geillis had been her best friend since always, she couldn't let her down because of a stupid love crisis...Specially when her wedding with Dougal was about to happen in two days. Claire wasn’t a big fan of Dougal, it's not like he was a good catch or a gentleman, since he was always flirting with girls and he had a rude personality...But since her friend was happy, she was too.

Half of Claire was hoping that the hen party would help her forgetting her problem, her _handsome_ _redhead problem._ It was her responsibility to plan the hen night. It would be a girl’s night, just her and Geillis, hanging out together as old times...In other words, drinking a lot was totally included on their plans. 

Of course, she had told Geillis about the photographer, but just the basics. She didn’t want to steal the focus, it was her friend’s marriage, it wasn’t about her crush on the Scottish guy, it wasn't about her love crises.

So she kept to herself the fact that she couldn’t sleep well.

That night, they drank a lot. They went to a bar and dance until they got exhausted.

They were having fun, of course, but Geillis realized something was wrong. Her friend used to be a talker, and that day, she seemed to be distant. And, in deed, she was distant. There wasn’t one moment that Claire wasn’t thinking about _him,_ even though she was trying hard to vanish her thoughts, they always came back to haunt her.

She was obsessed with the possibility of them. She was obsessed with the ''what if'' situation. She was obsessed with the way his hair was perfectly curly and red. She was obsessed by his accent. She was obsessed by the way he looked at her. She was obsessed.

‘’Claire, can I ask you something?’’ Geillis asked, while they sat down on chairs.

‘’Anything, I'm a open book.'' She said, while holding a glass of wine.

‘’You have been so quiet...Is there something bothering you? You can count on me for anything, you know?’’ Geillis held her hand, looking deep on her eyes.

‘’Of course no! Everything is just fine.’’ She answered very quickly, as if her redhead friend could read her mind. She didn’t want to bother her friend with her stupid problems, although she was clearly not fine.

‘’Claire, have I ever tell you that you are such a bad liar?’’ Gellis sighed. ‘’It’s the photographer, isn’t?’’

‘’How did you know?’’ The brunette frown, surprised. She was starting to believe on the read minds possibility.

‘’I know you since we were eight, I know when something is wrong with you...And you have been acting weird since the wed.’’ It was impossible hidden something from Geillis. She knew her like the palm of her hand.

‘’Yeah, because my ex got married?’’ Claire suggested, rolling her eyes.

‘’We both know this is not the reason, so why don’t you admit it, Claire?’’

‘’Admit what?’’

‘’That you fell in love with that photographer, of course!’’

‘’Because love is stupid! Love...Love doesn't even exist! It’s just a temporary stage that eventually gets to an end, it’s a waste of time!’’ Claire was red, as if her head was about to burst.

‘’I think you are just scare of having feelings for someone. Claire, I know you have difficulty on connecting to people, but it’s time for to give you a chance in love. It’s not stupid.’’ Geillis said. She turned into a psychologist when she was drunk.

‘’It’s stupid if makes me feel nervous and makes my heart speed. It's stupid if I can't think on anything else besides him, It's stupid if it makes me have insomnia.'' Claire took a deep breath. ''Maybe it’s better this way...I mean, my memories of him will always be perfect. No mistakes or disappointment, no one getting hurt. Just a frozen distant memory of the perfect Mr. Photographer.’’

‘’Is that what you really want? Just a perfect untouchable memory? So you don’t think it worth the risk? You prefer avoiding suffering instead of living a love that makes your heart fly? Claire, you’re not like that. The young Claire would like to take the risk.’’

‘‘Breaking news! I’m not the young Claire anymore! I don’t believe in fairy tales and stuff.’’ She said, nervous. Claire could be really rude when she knew she was wrong.

Suddenly a weird silence was established between them, until Geillis break it.

‘’Wow, Frank really traumatized you, didn’t him?” She took a deep breath and sighed after saying that. It was a torture seeing Claire like that, suffering.

‘’Of course he did! One day, you are with someone who you trust...In another, the person just leaves you.’’ Her eyes started to form tears.

‘’But the photographer isn’t Frank. Just because on relationship didn’t work, it doesn’t mean all are fated to end.’’

‘’But that’s...That’s not the point.’’ Claire said, starting to sob. She wouldn’t be crying if she was sober, but that wasn’t the case. ‘’It doesn’t matter now anyway.’’

‘What is the point? Hey, sweet, you don’t need to cry…’’ Geillis said, getting up the chair to hug her friend.

‘’The point is that I messed up! I’ll never gonna see him again, and it’s all my fault! I’m a coward and I lost the chance of meeting someone special.’’ Claire admitted it out load, making Geillis widen her eyes.

Claire wasn’t the type of person that talks about feelings. She had always been very reserved with that, keeping all her feeling tracked on a cage, but since she met the photographer, its like he had opened the padlock of the cage.

‘’Sweet, if you are soul mates, I bet fate will make it’s part.’’

Something that could deeply annoy Claire was the mysticism of her friend. Geillis was the type of optimist person, that always saw the good side of things and believe in destiny, love, and another things that Claire called fantasy.

‘’Fate? Geillis, I’m waiting for the universe to make us together again? Sorry, but how can I depend on imaginary forces of the universe?’’ She sounded desperate. She didn’t like the idea of depending on something that could never happen, something uncertain.

For Claire, you made your own destiny happen, you don’t simple wait for a sign of the universe.

‘’See? You didn’t complain about the _soul mates_ part _,_ so that means half of you believe he could be the one, it’s written in your eyes.’’

‘’Geillis, I’m so scare, I barely know him and look how I’m now! I have never felt like this with Frank, or anybody…’’

‘’See? Special connection here! Claire, maybe you won’t be with that photographer...But the most important thing is that he opened your heart again. You need to believe again that someone can love you with all heart.''

Claire was smiling. She was feeling emotional with the advice of her friend. She deserved to give another chance to love. She deserved to allow herself to fall in love again.

‘’You are speaking like a coach, but I love you.’’ Claire said.

‘’Shut up! Now let’s dance, in two days I have a marriage to go!’’ Geillis said, taking her friend hand and walking to the dance floor.

They danced all night, and for the first time in one month, she felt a little bit relief. For the first time in a long time, she had hope. For the first time, she decided to abandon her fears and insecurities to give a chance for love. Claire finally decided to believe on Geillis, believe that faith would act if they were meant to be.

And guess what?

She was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is pretty short, however, I liked writing it because I love Geillis and Claire friendship.  
> I'm very excited to write this story.  
> See you on the next chapter <3


	3. The Best Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding of Geillis and Dougal.  
> When Claire is going to take some whiskey to the bride, she has a big surprise.  
>  A redhead surprise, actually.  
> Is it fate or just coincidence?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! So, I'm glad people are enjoying it...Thank you for all that commented, it had made me want to write more.  
> I was so excited to write it that I decided to make two chapters about the wedding, this chapter already went longer than I expected, but imagine that I was planning to write more XD
> 
> Anyway, hope you like it <3

The day finally came. The wedding’s day of Dougal and Geillis.  
Claire was excited to this event, she felt light. For the first time, she couldn’t hate weddings.   
After her conversation with Geillis, a light had illuminate Claire’s heart and filled it with hope.

The ceremony would ironically happen in a church. Ironically because everybody knew that Geillis was far from being a religious person, she had always prefer alternative beliefs instead of the traditional ones, but that day in specific, she was marring on a Catholic church. Probably because of hers and Dougal’s family.

Claire was almost getting crazy with that marriage. It wasn’t hers, but she felt like it was. She was the bridesmaid, so every problem that could possibly happen, was solved by her. She didn’t want to stress Geillis with problems – Although it was almost impossible to stress Geillis, she was calm like a monk. - She felt the responsibility of giving the perfect wedding to her best friend. She wanted every thing to be perfect.  
Even when it was about a wedding, Claire was a perfectionist person.

So there she was, helping the bride with the dress. Geillis looked like a Mythological Goddess on that day. Her glamorous red hair was tied with two braids at the top of her head, while the rest was completely loose on her shoulders. The beautiful white dress fit like a glove, it had no sleeves and covered her legs entirely. The veil was delicate as a spider's web, and fell perfectly over Geillis' mysterious eyes.

Claire covered her month, trying to hold her tears. She was not the type of person that cries easily, but that day she was feeling so happy and proud that she could open an exception. 

‘’You look like a princess, Geillis. I can’t believe this day finally came.’’ Claire smiled, admired with all the beauty of her friend.

‘’Claire, I’m so happy that you’re here with me, as my bridesmaid. I don’t know what I would do if weren’t you...You’re my favorite person in the world.’’ Geillis looked at her.

‘’I love you, Geillis. I’m so happy for you’’ She involved her in a tight hug.

‘’I love you, Claire.’’ She smiled. Suddenly, she moved away a little and frown, looking at Claire with a serious look.

‘’What’s wrong?’’ Claire asked.

‘’I...I wanna run away. I wanna escape.’’ Geillis said, serious.

‘’What? Are you serious?’’ She started to cogitate all the ways she could steal a car for an immediate escape.The adrenaline running thought her body.

Suddenly, the serious face was undone and a big smile was dominating Geillis’ face.

’’ No, you silly! I’m just joking! I would ask for some whiskey!’’ She laughed.

Claire sighed. ‘’That’s totally not funny! You almost killed me, you know?”

‘’I thought it would be funny, you should have seen your face...Okay, I’m sorry.’’ Geillis always had a doubtful sense of humor, and Claire knew she was not sorry at all. 

‘’No whiskey for you.’’ She made a face and showed the tongue.

‘’I’m the bride, you need to serve me.’’ The redhead smiled.

‘’I already do it everyday.’’ Claire punched her arm.

The Englishwoman get out of the room and went to the principal hall, where the ceremony would happen. She was tired but happy, because she knew everything was going the way it was planned.

Well, almost everything.

_He wasn’t on the plan._

When Claire was walking to the whiskey’s table, she suddenly stop.  
Her eyes couldn’t believe what they were seeing. She winked several times to confer the view, as if she could be having an hallucination, or if she was trying to wake up from a dream.  
For her surprise, it was neither a dream or an hallucination. Right there, a few meters away from her, with a glass on his hand, _was him_ , talking to the fiancee.

_The photographer that was messing with her heart since they met._

He was wearing a beautiful dark blue suit, and his red hair was arranged in such a way that it seemed to be drawn by angels. To Claire’s dismay, that side smile was stamped on his face. _Her weakness._

Claire stand very still, breathing with difficulty. She wanted to see him again, of course she did... but she wasn’t expecting it so soon, or on a weeding, _again._  
Her feet were stuck on the floor. Her white high heels couldn’t move, as if she was froze by a spell.

It took her some seconds until she backed to reality and turned around, running to where Geillis was. 

Claire got into the door with widen eyes and without air. She never thought running on high heels were possible before, but after that experience, she was glad that she didn’t fall on the floor.

_Miracles of a wedding, maybe._

‘’Are you okay? Jesus, Claire, I asked you a cup o whiskey, not you to run a marathon!'' Geillis asked, worried.

‘’Who’s the best man?’’ She asked, ignoring the fact that she didn’t bring the whiskey as it was requested.

‘’The best man? Well, I think his name is Jamie, and speaking of that, he is very handsome and...’’ Geillis started to talk, but before she could finish the sentence, she linked the dots quickly. ‘’Wait, you are asking me that because...NO WAY!’’

‘’How is this even possible?’’ Claire held her own hair with panic.

‘’I can’t believe the photographer is here! This day is just getting better!’’ Geillis celebrated.

‘’How can I talk to him before I left him without even saying goodbye? I was so rude!’’ She said, walking on circles.

‘’Now the universe gave you a chance of asking apologizes, isn’t that great?” Claire had never seen her friend so excited before.

‘’Geillis for the love of God, can you stop? I’m freaking out here!’’

‘’Honey, shouldn’t be me freaking out instead of you?’’ Geillis played, laughing. ‘’Anyway, why did you ran away, _again_?’’

‘’I’m sorry, I know it’s your wedding day.’’ Claire said, avoiding the last question. She didn't know why she ran, she just did.

‘’You are complicating things...Just go back there and talk to him.’’ She said, as if it was that simple.

‘’What? No!’’

‘’I’m not asking, I’m ordering you...And as my bridesmaid, your last obligation is talking to the best man.''

‘’WHAT? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” Claire couldn’t believe what was happen. ‘’You can’t do this! Geillis!’’

‘’Yes, I can. Who is the bride?’’ She asked, with an annoying convinced smile on her face.

Claire rolled her eyes. ‘’You’re.’’

‘’So I think your job is making me happy today, so go there and talk to the bloody photographer!’’

Claire snorted.

‘’Alright, alright! But just to let it clear, I’m doing it because you turned into a dictator, not because I want.’’

‘’Yeah, sure you are…’’ Geillis said, ironically. ‘’One day you’re gonna thank me for that.’’

_I hope you’re right._

Claire took a deep breath, as if the oxygen was made of courage. She couldn’t believe what was happening, she couldn’t believe she was about to talk to him again.

_Maybe fate want us to be...Together? Stop, Claire! It can be a coincidence, right? A weird, and beautiful coincidence..._

Claire went again to the hall, more people had arrived. Possibly because it was close to the ceremony start, so most of guests were already there. Her legs were shivering, as if they were about to come down and her heart had never been in such a hurry.

She thought it would be hard to find him because of the amount of people, but she was wrong. He stood out on the crowd, with his brilliant red hair and his big stature. He was very singular.

_She slowly approached, trying to think in a way to start a conversation._

_Hi! Remember me? I was the girl who just left the wedding before we almost kiss!_

_Do you come here often?_

What a coincidence! Since we are here, do you wanna marry me? It must be destiny!

Her ideas were scarce, nothing seemed appropriated enough, so she just decided to say: 

‘’So...I hear the whiskey here is better than that one.’’

At the moment her voice got into his ears, he quickly turned around to confer that he wasn’t getting crazy.  
‘’Sassenach? You here?’’ The happiness on his voice made her heart melt.

Jamie couldn’t avoid smiling. His eyes were fixed on her pretty light blue dress and how her curly brunette fell perfectly. She was more beautiful than he remembered, maybe because she had a smile on her face this time, or maybe because she was in front of his eyes.

‘’So are we always meet on weddings? I’m starting to believe you invade weddings to drink whiskey.’’ Claire said. She missed the feeling of flirting with him.

‘’Well, if you keep running away from me, yes. You own me a cake.’’ He laughed, waiting to make her laugh too, but instead, she was blushing.

‘’I...I’m sorry about that.’’ She said, ashamed. ‘’I just…’’

‘’Lass, you don’t need to explain. It’s not my business. I own you apologizes for asking you that…’’ Jamie said, embarrassed. He didn’t want to constrain her, although he really wanted to understand what happened.

‘’Actually, I want to explain.’’ Claire interrupted him. ‘’That day, well... I felt terrified because I had never liked someone like this in such short time so I didn’t know how react, I just ran away. Sorry.’’

Claire was surprised with herself. She never told people about her feelings, she rather keep to herself...But that moment, in front of him, It was like she just couldn’t hold that words anymore, it was stronger than her. Her feelings were begging to get out of her mouth after one entire month thinking about him.

However, Claire still wanted to spill out the fact that she had never liked someone like this _before_. That she ran away not because of the short time, but because she was feeling things that she couldn't understand.

It was like getting into the woods without having a map. She felt lost when it came about love.

Jamie’s heart almost stopped when the phrase ‘’ _I had never liked someone like this'’_ came together from red lips. Inside of him was a little Jamie who was making a happy dance.

‘’Stop apologizing, maybe we went too fast...I mean, we had a lot of cheap alcohol on our blood.’’ Jamie said, laughing.

‘’What if we start over? I don’t even know your name.’’ Claire said, looking into his eyes. She had found out earlier his name by Geillis, but she wouldn’t admit that, she wanted to hear from him.

Jamie could understand why she wanted to start over. She wanted to meet each other with caution to understand the feelings she was having. The problem is that Jamie didn’t want to start over. The truth is that he wanted to start where they stopped: _The almost kiss_. He had been dreaming about the taste of her lips since that day.

However, he felt such a connection with her that he would do whatever it takes to meet her, to be with her. It didn't matter for him how long it could take, he just wanted to be around her. She had that energy that made him feel like a bug around a lamp.

‘’Right, Sassenach. My name is Jamie Fraser.’’ 

‘’Jamie Fraser, the photographer.’’ Claire smiled, making his heart tingle. ‘’I’m Claire Beauchamp.’’

‘’Claire Beauchamp…’’ He murmured. He finally had the name that it was written on his heart. ‘’The best cooker of the city.’’

She rolled her eyes, couldn’t avoid smiling ‘’Stop!’’

‘’You know I’m right...Did you know that I tried to found you? I mean, your bakery…’’ Jamie tried to correct himself, but it was too late. It was already very clear that he was trying to find _her,_ not the bakery.

‘’Really?’’ Claire asked, surprised. She had no idea that he liked her that much.

‘’Yeah, but you know the marriage couple…’’ He made a face of disgust. ‘’ The address they gave me was wrong.’’

‘’Oh.’’ Claire let it escape. She couldn’t say she was disappointed, because after all Frank did, nothing could surprise her anymore.

‘’But here we are now, weird coincidence, don’t you think?’’

‘’Or maybe it’s fate.’’ Claire said out load. It just escaped of her mouth.

‘’Right...I know you don’t believe this things as I do, so stopping making fun of me, Sassenach!’’ Jamie said, laughing.

She smiled, even thought she wasn’t making fun with him at all.

_Maybe I didn’t believe before, but now…_

‘’So what are you doing here?’’ Claire changed the subject.

‘’I’m the best man.’’ Jamie said with proud.

‘’Of Dougal?’’ She frowned. He didn’t looked like a person that would be close to Dougal.

‘’Yeah, I know...He is my uncle.’’ Jamie said, not with much proud. ‘’And what about you? What bring you here?’’

‘’You are nephew of Dougal, really?’’ Claire ignored his question. She was shocked with that fact.

‘’Why the shock, Sassenach?’’ he frowned.

‘’Well...To be honest, you're very different.’’ She answered, trying to not offend his uncle. ‘’And I thought you could be working today as a photographer...Anyway, I’m the bridesmaid.’’

'‘I'm just playing with you, Sassenach...But I'm glad to see that you know I'm different from him, I mean, he is not the faithful person in world but...What could I do? Family is family.'' Jamie said. ‘’The bridesmaid? Are you relative of Geillis?”

‘’No, I’m just her best friend...And almost all the wedding you are seeing was organized by me.’’

‘’Oh really? So beyond being a professional cooker, you also organized weddings? Sassenach, you are a great catch!’’

Claire blushed with that comment. She felt like he had an instruction manual of how making her fall for him.

When they realized, the ceremony had began.


	4. The bouquet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘’Yes I'm! What do ye say... Do ye wanna be a bad dancer with me?’’
> 
> Claire would never dance on public if it wasn’t for Jamie. She would feel ridiculous, but it wasn’t the case. Jamie was the case. It was madness to do that...But it would be more madness saying no to him and his beautiful pair of blue eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't waiting for so much support on this story...I'm really glad for all comments and kudos people have left.  
> Thank you all, enjoy another on :)

The ceremony had began, so both Claire and Jaime went to their positions on the altar. Each one on a different side. You didn't need to be a Sherlock Holmes to notice the intensity of the look they were sharing, the chemistry and attraction between them hovering in the air.

_We’re on an altar together, don’t freak out._ Claire kept repeating on her mind. _It's you friend's wedding, it's not about you!_

Even though, she couldn't take her eyes away from him. All her attention was turned into the redhead best man.

The same thing was happening to Jamie, who kept his eyes on her. His eyes couldn’t look to anything else besides her, like if she was a magnet and he was constantly being attracted to her. 

_Could be us._ He thought, although he knew she wasn't the type that wanted to marry. He couldn't forget her opinion about love being just a temporary stage.

During all the ceremony, even when Geillis got into the altar and when the bride and the groom shared their votes, their eyes were still fixed on each other’s direction. No one could interrupt it, it was like they were hypnotized by each other's.

_He is so cute on this suit and...Stop staring him and pay attention on the wedding!  
_

Claire was starting to get mad with herself. She was feeling like a young teenager falling in love for the first time...But no matter how much she tried, she was still stuck on that beautiful blue eyes. Fighting against it was useless.

At Jamie’s point of view, Claire was so beautiful that even not being the bride, she had caught all his attention. He bet that even if she dressed a garbage bag, she would still look pretty. There was something special about her...It wasn't just about her renaissance beauty, it was more than that, but he couldn't explain exactly.

He knew it was madness to think about it, specially when he knew that she didn’t believe in lasting relations, but he couldn’t help thinking about how she matched in a wedding dress. She would probably turn into historical patrimony if it happens, because she would be the most beautiful person of the world.

During all ceremony, Jamie daydreamed about how it would be if they got married.

_Stop dreaming, Fraser! You look like an idiot!_

He knew he shouldn’t create expectations, mainly the impossible ones. Although, it was stronger than him. It was too late to not create expectations, he wanted to be hers more than anything, and he hoped that, some day, she could want the same.

He was a Fraser, so being stubborn was part of his DNA. He wouldn’t give up soon of the idea of being with her.

Maybe he would never give up this idea.

Jamie was determined to convince her that love could be a real thing, and if she allowed him, she would always be safe. He would never hurt her feelings, he would never let her feel pain again.

‘’...I declare you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride.’’ The father said, making both Jamie and Claire look at the new marriage couple. They had forgot for some minutes they were on a wedding.

Jamie was anxious for the proclamation because he wanted to talk more and more with Claire. He was truly hoping that the playlist of the wedding was romantic, he needed a chance to dance with her.

Everybody moved out of the altar, applauding the husband and the wife. Suddenly, Geillis yelled:

‘’Now, let’s dance everybody!’’

And then lively songs started to play, letting Claire in shock. She thought that romantic musics would be played, but knowing Geillis as she did, it was totally a normal thing. A Geillis thing.

It’s her wedding after all.

Claire just shrugged and went to sit at the guest table, as if she had ignored Geillis announcement. Jamie’s eyes accompanied her making the way to the table.

She just sat and watched people dancing with happiness. The Scottish couldn’t understand why she was the only one that wasn’t on the dance floor.

‘’Don’t ye like to dance, Sassenach?’’ Jamie asked, taking a sit next to her. Claire's heart tingled when she realized how close he was.

She couldn’t avoid smiling. He cared about her. He could be dancing with any girl he wanted, but there he was, asking about her.

_He wanted her._

‘’You're gonna laugh of me.'' She smiled.

''I promise I won't laugh.'' He was looking at her serious.

''I don’t know how to dance.’’ She looked at him, blushing. ‘’Frank always said I’m a bad dancer, and dancing with me was embarrassing.’’

First Jamie didn't know what to say. He wanted to punch Frank on the face for letting that amazing woman insecure, but since he couldn't do it, he did what he knew best: He tried to make her laugh.

Jamie put his hand on the chest, pretending to lose air of relief.

''Jesus Sassenach, I though you got some medical condition that forbid you to dance.''

In deed, it did work. She was laughing.

After that, Jamie took her hand and frowned, looking into her eyes. ‘’But now seriously, you don’t need to know how to dance to do it. That’s the funniest part, dancing as if no one is watching.’’

Suddenly, the song _‘’_ _Accidentally in Love_ _’’_ of Counting Crows started to play, making Claire shiver.

‘’I love this music.’’ Claire murmured, smiling.

‘’We’re on a wedding, not on a contest...And I’m not a dancer either.’’ Jamie smiled, lightly squeezing her hand. ‘’We could be bad dancers together.’’

Claire’s heart was jumping from happiness. The touch of his hand turned on an electric circuit inside her, and all his words together...Just made her melt for his sweetness. No one has ever talked to her like that.

‘’Are you asking me to dance?’’ She raised an eyebrow.

‘’Yes I'm! What do ye say... Do ye wanna be a bad dancer with me?’’ He looked at her with excitation. An special glow on his blue eyes.

Claire would never dance on public if it wasn’t for Jamie. She would feel ridiculous, but it wasn’t the case. Jamie was the case. It was madness to do that...But it would be more madness saying no to him and his beautiful pair of blue eyes.

So she took an entire glass of whiskey and drank it in one shot. She took off the high heels, being barefoot.

It made Jamie like her even more.

‘’Yes, I want to be your partner! I mean, your partner of...of dance.’’ She said, trying to correct herself. Too late, Jamie's heart was already happy because of that ''mistake''.

He took her by the hand to the dance floor.

Claire felt so free when she was around him. She felt like a bird flying in a sunny day, she felt like she could finally be herself. She felt like hummingbird that found the perfect flower.

She felt like he was the part of her it was missing.

After the song ended, it played ‘’ _Shut Up and Dance With me.’’_ of the band _Walk to the Moon_ , one of Claire's favorite music.

She felt like the lyrics somehow fit on them. She didn’t even notice there was people around them, because only him matter to her. Shame wasn’t a problem anymore, she was a happy dancer at that moment.

It had been a long time since she felt happiness like that. She couldn’t stop laughing, she was so happy that he was there, with her.

Her heartbeat was so speed up that it was synchronized with the song.

They dance until they lost the breath. Their lungs were glad when the next music was a slowly one.

As if their request was realized, finally a romantic one was played. Not that the musics before weren’t romantic, but this time, the music create a romantic atmosphere around them, almost like if there was magic between them.

Suddenly, everyone around was dancing together. All couples were dancing with their bodies closer. A kind of dance that required intimacy. _A lot of intimacy._

They looked around, realizing they were the only one who weren’t dancing in a way so physically close.

‘’Sassenach, do y-you…’’ Jamie couldn’t complete the question, as if his vocabulary was erased. It was a weird situation _again_ between them. He had never felt so nervous like that before, because he didn’t was to rush things between them, he didn't want to loose her... but on the other hand, he was crazy to dance with her as a couple.

Instead of answering him, Claire instinctively put her hands on his chest, as if her hands were made for being there. She put her head close to his neck, turning hard to him to breath.

He slowly moved his arms to her waist, afraid of being too invasive.

_She was on his arms._

At that moment, she didn’t care anymore about how love wasn’t made for last. That moment could last forever if depended on her.

She could feel the warm of his body, she could feel the delicate touch of his hands on her waist.

He swallowed, praying for she couldn’t hear his heartbeats. She could think he was having a heart attack and call an ambulance.

_Try to not think how close you’re, you’re just friends, remember? Not a couple, not a couple...Damn, she is so beautiful when her hair is tidy like this…_

‘’Why you keep calling me Sassenach when you already know my name?’’ She whispered, crawling his skin.

‘’Because as I said before, you have the habit of invade things, like weds and my heart.’’ He murmured, trying to not loose himself on the chocolate smell of her hear. ''You don't like it?''

With that answer, the fear of love just disappear. She wasn’t afraid of having feeling for him anymore, when she was on his arms, dancing with him, she felt right. She felt free, like a bird getting out of the cage after a long time.

Frank was the cage, and Jamie was the freedom.

Frank was the pain, and Jamie was the cure.

Frank was the past, and Jamie was the future.

''I like it when it came from your mouth...'' She answered.

After saying this, in the middle of the song, she pulled her face back enough for look at him. Jamie could swear their hearts were beating at the same time, at the same frequency.

They felt like the world was turning slowly and everything around stopped, as if nothing else matters behind them. Their eyes found each other.

_They found each other._

Looking at her eyes, he could see the pain inside her. He could see her broken heart. Jaime wanted to be the one who would amend her her heart, the one who would drain out all the pain that once lived on her myocardium.

_He wanted to be the one._

‘’Claire…’’

‘’Jamie...’’

It was the first time he pronounced her name instead of just calling her ‘’lady’’ or ‘’Sassenach’’. Claire felt the intense desire of kissing him taking control of her. Suddenly, kissing him seemed to be the only thing that she wanted in the world. Her lips were supplicating to meet his.

She didn’t want to ran away.

She didn’t want to think about the infinity possibilities of that being a mistake.

She just wanted to kiss him.

Jamie couldn’t understand how they skipped from _‘’Let’s start it over.’’_ for that moment. He knew that if they kissed, he couldn’t go back.

Kissing her would mean that his dreams and fantasies would increase, and his heart would be settled to her forever.

He wouldn’t support the idea of kissing her and not having a future with her. He cursed the fact that she disbelief in relationships, knowing it could hurt him more than a dagger cutting his chest.

But it was inevitable. He was already in love with her, and it was too late to go back.

And her signs were very clear. She wanted to kiss him as much as he wanted it.

_If she only believe in love...It wouldn't be a torture to look to those lips...  
_

And then she broke the space between their lips, kissing him. Claire had never kissed someone with so much love. Kissing Jamie felt like dancing during a summer rain, or painting the perfect art.

Her heart felt completed.

Their lips fit perfectly, how if they were made for each other.

Kissing him while he held her with his strong arms made Claire feel safe, as if she had found her own place in the world. _His hug._

She felt like he was vital to her, a part of her that she could never let go _._

Jamie felt a wave running his body. Kissing her was like swimming on the sea on a hot day, kissing her was like touching the foot on the fluffy sand after years.

He had never felt this way before, and that just prove to him that she was the only woman he wanted to kiss for the rest of his life.

_She was the one._

The kiss seemed to last hours, as if the touch of their lips could say all the things they were afraid to pronounce out load, as if the kiss was the only way to fill the lack of words between them. If there was any doubt they were made for each other, it was gone on that moment.

That was the only way to prove Claire that if soul mates exist, _he was hers._

‘’Now, the bride will throw the bouquet.’’ Someone said, obligating the Scottish and the English to interrupt the kiss. Once again, they forgot they were on a weeding.

Both immediately separated, as if they were doing something wrong, something sinful. They were took by the moment, by the music...They were took by each other’s energy, they hadn’t even realized when the music over and how long time it passed. They were red as ripe tomatoes.

They tried to pretend paying attention on what was happening, trying to pretend that they weren’t in the middle of something minutes ago. Their body were still feeling the numbness of the kiss, as if their minds forgot to tell their body the kiss was over.

_So her lips taste like cherry. Interesting._

Claire looked at her best friend, praying that she hadn’t seen the kiss.

 _Of course she did_. The visual contact and the look on her face denounced it. The smile on her face made Claire curse herself.

If Claire could read minds, she was sure that her friend was saying something like:

_''You just kissed the best man! You’re gonna tell me every detail of that later!''_

Claire was screw. Geillis would never stop talking about how she was right and how she was responsible for reuniting them. The price would be probably hear some jokes from her.

_Although, she didn't regret kissing him. She would do it again._

‘’Now Ladies, go for that side because I’m gonna throw the bouquet!” Geillis said, and Claire could swear she blinking to her.

After that, Claire took a deep breath. She was breathless, that kiss was more intense than she thought.

‘’I-I’m going...I’m going there.’’ Claire tried to reformulate a phrase to Jamie, avoiding his charming eyes. She wanted to digest what just have happened.

''Right, right...'' He nodded. He couldn't think straight, his brain was still frozen on the kiss moment. It seemed like his brain was doped with some kind of drug.

_A side effect of her lips._

Jamie was pretty surprise to hear that she would go there, try to get the bouquet. He knew she didn’t believe that relations could have a future, so it didn't make sense to him. She wasn't the type of girl that tried to reach the bouquet, he knew her enough to know that.

_Maybe she just went to please Geillis. It is a tradition, after all. Yeah, probably that is the reason...  
_

Little he knew that he was the reason.

Claire was wondering what was going on with her, she wondered if she was poised because, for some reason, she was starting to believe soul mates could be something real.

_But the only reason was the redhead and his irresistible eyes.  
_

She didn’t intend to reach the bouquet. Of course she didn’t.

She wouldn't even try. She just went there to pretend it, and maybe to show indirectly to Jamie that she had changed her mind about relations.

She wanted him to know that she wasn't the same after that kiss.

Side by side with Dougal, Geillis throw the bouquet into the crow.

Claire was way behind of all girls and ladies of that wed. She knew it was impossible to reach that bouquet, and that was great. It wasn’t a goal reaching that flowers. She was okay of just pretend trying.

She could never imagine that the freaking bouquet, somehow, would end in her hands.

Her eyes widen open. She would say all was setup by Geillis, but is couldn’t be possible. The flowers on her hand could just be lucky, or a sign of the universe.

Claire once thought that if she would marry someone one day, this person would be Frank, but at that moment, holding that flowers, she realized that if she would marry someone, the only person that she wanted to see on the altar, with her, was Jamie.

Her eyes automatically turned into Jamie’s direction, hoping to see him smiling at her.

The problem is that...She couldn’t found him.

_He was gone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they kiss!  
> I love every detail I put on their kiss, I felt on clouds writing this chapter.  
> Why would Jamie left the wedding suddenly? You will have to keep reading to find out XD  
> Let me know what you thought about this chapter :)


	5. The Address

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Jamie vanishes from the wedding, Claire reflects about her feelings and how she like Jamie more than she thought.  
> We found out the reason why Jamie disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> I know has been some day I hadn't update...But now I'm back! I was procrastinating to finish the chapter because I had no idea how I could write it, and It was never good enough...  
> Well, have a good reading!

After Claire held the bouquet and people applause her as if she had won a pride, she backed to where she was before.

_To where Jamie and her were kissing minutes ago._

She couldn’t stop looking at the yellow flowers on her hands, her fingers touching the texture of the petals. She usually wouldn’t be so dazzle, but after the sequence of events, her mind couldn't stop thinking about how that bouquet ended up with her. What were the chances? What were the probabilities?

_Maybe it's a sign of the universe that I should give him a chance...Or am I already giving him a chance? Maybe I'm getting crazy..._

_After all, It isn't everyday that a wedding bouquet falls in your hands._

_It isn't everyday that you feel a deep connection with a stranger._

_It isn't everyday that you kiss someone and you feel that way._

The only thing that she was missing was _him_. She looked everywhere, trying to find the eyes that made her forget about everything around.

But Jamie wasn’t there.

He wasn’t anywhere.

He was gone.

Claire felt her heart dismantle in little pieces as she noticed that he had gone. An extreme empty filled her body, as if a part of her was missing.

And in deed, it was. _Him._

She couldn't understand why she was missing him so much, she never missed someone like that before, she never felt an absence hurting so much. It was like her heart was taken away of her body. It was like her body was feeling abstinence of him, it was like her lips couldn't spend not a minute longer away from his.

She couldn't understand why she was feeling like she had lost something precious, something important.

She couldn’t understand why he would go without saying goodbye, without a goodbye kiss.

She couldn’t understand why he would go so soon in the first place.

Okay, it wasn’t _so soon._ In fact, at that point, it was already pretty late, but for Claire, the hands of the clock stopped after the dance and the kiss.

_Now she could understand how he felt on that day, when she ran away._

Suddenly, all her confidence was pounded. Suddenly, bad thoughts crossed her mind.

The fear of scaring him, of messing things up, of being abandoned, of not being good enough...

_The fear of being meaningless to him, when he was turning into something special to her._

_Maybe he didn’t like the kiss?_

This possibility made her feel a twinge in her heart, a lump was formed in her throat just to think about it.

If that was the case, she would never kiss anyone again. That was by far the best kiss she ever had, and if it was bad to him, she wouldn’t be able to overcome it.

_Maybe the fact of me taking the bouquet scared him? Maybe he is scare of getting married os something?  
_

Claire dismissed this hypothesis when she remembered about their conversation on Frank's wedding. He seemed to believe in love and weddings, unlike her.

_But that was one month ago, he could have changed his mind as she had changed hers._

Nothing could make sense, no matter how much she tried to find a reason to explain his vanished. The whiskey was starting to make effect on her body, so her brain couldn’t work well. On that kind of situation, the cooker would normally ask Geillis some love advice, but since it was her wedding, she was too busy trying to take whiskey away from Dougal's hands.

After that confuse situation, she decided to go home. It was already late and she intended to open her bakery next day morning, and since the redhead best man wasn't there to cheer her up, going home seemed to be the best option. Claire said goodbye to the marriage couple and asked to a cab.

~~~

Her head was a mess. Some short memories were coming in flashes.

_The slow dance._

_The touch of his hands._

_His sweet smell._

_His Scottish accent calling her Sassenach._

_The kiss._

She thought that maybe could be fate they never say goodbye properly.

Yes, she thought it could be _fate._ The word she had never believed in and that she could barely pronounce out load.

Suddenly, a tremendous disappointment crossed her brain. A desperate started to grow on her chest.

_I didn’t get his number. Congratulations, Claire! Now you'll never see him again!  
_

Of course she could get his number later with Geillis, but she would be probably busy with the honeymoon all the weekend, so it wasn’t an available option. Until there, she would have to try another way to find him.

Claire sighed. When she finally opened her heart to him, he was gone. 

_Will I have to go to another wedding to meet him again?_

When she arrived home, she just throw herself on the bed. It had been a long day, she deserved to rest. Her legs were begging for a break.

The next day she was determined to find him, she would go after all photographers named Jamie Fraser that could possible exist, no matter how long it could take.

Now she knew how she felt about him, she couldn't ignore it anymore.

Her heart was on his hands, it was too late to be afraid of something. Claire decided to ignore all bad thoughts and just focused on the good ones.

The fact is that she liked him more than she thought it was possible. She liked him more than anyone else.

She feel asleep thinking about his flawless red hair. She was one hundred percent attracted to that photographer, there was no doubt.

The connection she felt on his arms was special. He was special.

_He was worth it._

~~~

_I hate myself for doing this._ Jamie thought, while he was calling a cab, out of the church.

_I didn’t even had time to say goodbye. I didn’t even had time to admire her holding the bouquet._

He sighed. It had been such a good night and he had to go. He felt like a child leaving the candy store.

If his sister wasn’t about to give birth, he would never leave the wedding with hurry. He would never left her without kissing her one more time. He would never left her.

Jamie just hoped that Claire wouldn’t hate him for doing that as much as he was hating himself.

He just hoped he didn’t mess all up because of it. He hoped she didn’t think that he ran away. He hoped he could have a chance to explain it.

Ian, his best friend and also the husband of his sister, called him right after Claire took the bouquet. He said the time had come, the baby was coming.

The redhead photographer was having one of the best moments of him life, but he had to interrupt it. It was his sister, after all. She was giving birth to her first son, he should be there for her.

Jamie had never been a selfish person, and that wouldn't be an exception.

Before he got into the cab, he gave one last look to the church. He had the look of an abandoned dog, but he knew he was doing the right thing to do.

As the cab moved away from the church, his heart broke little by little.

When he got on the hospital, the baby was already born. A little boy called Willie.

Jamie got emotional when he saw his nephew. So fragile, so tiny, so small...

He always liked kids, and seeing that little one really made him want it even more.

And of course he imagined how it could be his and Claire’s children. It was getting automatic imagining a future with her, now it was impossible to not desire a future where she would be by his side.

Jamie knew that he had been dreaming a lot lately, and maybe he was looking forwards something that could even not happen. He didn't even know if she wanted children as he wanted.

However, he was a dreamer, and it was basically impossible to not create expectations when it came about Claire.

She was everything he wanted, he could feel that inside his bones. Jamie knew that it could be soon, but he didn’t care. He had a good feeling about what they could be.

He knew that kind of connection was rare, and he felt lucky for finding it. _What were the possibilities?_

Although Jamie kept repeating to himself that she would understand the reason he left, he still felt guilty. He knew how she could misunderstand his intentions with her, and that was the worst thing that could happen.

He wanted to meet her as soon as possible, not just because he was crazy about her, but also because she deserved explanations about why he left from nothing.

He was afraid of hurting her.

When he arrived home, the first thing he did was call Dougal. He knew that he would probably be murdered by doing this, but he didn’t care. He would disturb his uncle or whoever he needed to find Claire, he would just stop until he had the address of the bakery on his hands. He needed to find out where Claire’s bakery was, he needed to make things up to her.

_He needed to be with her._

Specially after their dance.

Specially after that kiss.

Specially after that night.

He wouldn’t rest until he was sure where he could find her.

‘’What do you want?’’ A female voice answered the Dougal’s phone. Of course, Geillis.

‘’Humm...Geillis?” Jamie asked, confused. He was actually hopeless that someone was going to answer.

‘’Dougal drank too much and now he is asleep. Luck of you it’s me.’’ She explained.

_Typical Dougal, drinking until he fall._

‘’Yes, I guess… Look, I’m going straight to the point. I want to know where did you ask the cake of the wedding.’’ He pretended to be interest just on the cake, as if he could deceive someone with that.

‘’In other words, you want Claire’s address, right?” Geillis raised an eyebrow ans smiled, although he couldn’t see her.

Jamie was glad that she couldn’t see his face, because he was blushing. Of course she knew about them, Claire was her best friend and they kissed for goodness only knows how long time on her wedding!

‘’So are you gonna give it to me or not?’’

‘’Just if you tell me your intentions with my friend.’’ she crossed her arms, having fun with that situation.

_Now she is acting protective around Claire. I’m so screw if I depend on Geillis to get Claire's address.  
_

‘’Claire...Claire is like a light on the middle of darkness to me. She had that accent that made my heartbeat speed and I feel this deep kind of connection with her that I can't explain.’’ He confessed with his heart, afraid of not convincing Geillis enough.

After some seconds of silence, the woman said from the other end of the line.

‘’Wow, that was intense...I actually wasn’t waiting for it, I was just playing.’’

‘’Playing? Wait what?’’ Making Jamie blush even more and widen eyes. He was perplexed. That was the weirdest conversation he ever had.

‘’Yeah, it was a joke, you know? Jesus, you look like her when I prank her.’’ She said, laughing. ‘’But anyway, I’m happy you have the best intentions with Claire, her bakery’s address is...''

Jamie couldn’t sleep happier, he finally knew where he could find his lovely brunette. His reality was so amazing that he didn’t want to sleep, he just want to think about her. He just want to daydream about Claire.

He just wanted to repeat the night they had, he just wanted to keep imagining on his head the moments of that wonderful night.

He intended to visit her in the morning, as soon as possible. He was anxious to see her in a place that wasn’t a wedding.

The redhead knew he wasn't capable to sleep that night. The sound of his accelerated heart wouldn't let him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it ended up that the chapter was originally longer.  
> But I decided to divide it in two, I think it got better, it made more sense.  
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it!  
> See you on the next chapter!


	6. The cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jamie finally goes to Claire's bakery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> So, I'm really glad I divided the last chapter in two. You have no idea how long this one got...SEVEN PAGES and like, 3k words.  
> Okay, maybe I got...a little bit excited.  
> Oh, and before I forgot it...I wanna thank all of support you guys are giving. I wasn't waiting for so much people reading and commenting for this...It's just amazing to think about it.  
> What I want to say is thank you and enjoy the chapter <3

Claire woke up tired. In the first moment, she wanted to shoot on the alarm clock, but she fight against this desire and got off the bed; She had to open the bakery as usual.

She put a silly smile on her face conform she was remembering the night before. All details running on her mind like a romantic movie.

Suddenly, waking up early to go to work wasn’t such a bad idea, her mood could change like magic when it came about the redhead photographer. He was living on her thoughts since they met, and she was starting to believe that twenty four hours weren’t enough, Claire needed more time a day to think about Jamie and his soft lips.

It was exactly 8 o’clock when Claire arrived at the bakery. It was Sunday, so she would work alone until noon as usual. She was planning to cook some bread to the clients that could arrive later, it was a routine, even though sometimes no one appeared.

The weather wasn't the most excited one. It was raining; a summer rain. The type of that relax you and makes you wanna get wet and refresh yourself. That rain just made Claire more lazy; It was the perfect day to stay home, watching some movies and eat popcorn in the middle of the blanket.

But there she was, working.

The British couldn’t complain so much. She had the privilege to work on something that she loved, and she couldn’t imagine herself doing anything besides cooking.

She honestly wasn’t waiting for any clients that day. The rain along with the fact that it was Sunday morning, made her believe no one would come, but she was still cooking anyway. It was her passionate and there wasn’t anything better to do.

Claire was unconsciously singing a melody out load, she didn’t even notice when the door bell rang, indicating that someone has entered into the store.

She was occupied kneading bread dough, so she didn’t realized someone had arrived. She was concentrated and her mind was far from there.

Lucky of her it wasn’t a psychopath or a serial killer, because her distraction put her in a vulnerable position.

If she had just turned around, she would see the reason of her feint in person; Jamie, looking at her.

First he didn’t know what to say, as if his tongue was dormant. He just stand there, in front the door, observing and contemplating her beauty like a fool. The sound of her voice, murmuring that melody, made him feel a chill in his stomach.

She was wearing a blue long skirt and a white blouse, her hair was all loose in a way that drove Jaime crazy.

He tried to rehearse several things that he could say to her, but nothing came out of his mouth, as if he was hypnotized to her.

‘’Have I already told ye that I wouldn’t leave you alone until I experiment your cake?” The photographer decided to say. He didn’t want to scare her, he could see how focused she was.

She quickly looked at his direction, smiling ear to ear. Suddenly, she had forgot the fact that he had just vanished the night before. Nothing matter more than the fact that Jamie was right there, in front of her eyes.

‘’What are you doing here?’’ She questioned, leaving the dough aside and approaching him, as if it wasn’t enough to her just looking at him. She wanted to touch him, but she settled for just seen him from close.

_She wanted the same touch and proximity they had on the slow dance._

Jamie couldn’t help noticing her happiness. Her smile could make his hole body melt within seconds. He wondered if he would always feel like this around her, as if she had some kind of super power.

‘’I called Dougal after the wedding, I couldn’t wait for another wedding to see ye.’’ He was scratching the back of his neck, nervously. The memory of speaking with Geillis made him feel extreme anxious. ‘’Specially after I left without explanations…’’

A few seconds of silence ran the space between them. Claire had ignored the fact that he left out of the blue the night before, but when he brought the subject to light, she couldn’t avoid being uncomfortable.

She couldn’t even decide her feelings about it. She could barely decide if she wanted to know the reasons he left.

‘’Why don’t you take a sit while I bring us a piece of cake?’’ She suggested, buying time to process all the situation.

‘’Don’t you have to work, Sassenach? I don’t want to bother you.’’ He asked, rooting inside for her wanting him there.

‘’In theory, I do... but I doubt someone besides you will appear. No one is crazier enough to get out of home in a day like this.’’ She said, smiling at him and then looking at the window. ‘’And furthermore, I like your company, you know that.’’

Claire admitting that was a major breakthrough, as if she was finally ready to show him her feelings. His disappearance at the wedding messed her up. Something changed inside her after that event.

Her body now begged for more of his touch. Her hormones were screaming for him.

The Scottish sat on the chair next to a window, waiting for her. The idea of being a nice company to Claire made him non-stop smiling, as if he had won the lottery.

_He felt like a child seen a shooting start for the first time, as if he was on the funniest place in the world._

_He was on his new favorite place of the world. Claire’s side._

Suddenly, Claire came with two pieces of chocolate cake and two coffees on her hands. Jamie would prefer seen a bouquet instead.

‘’I hope you like chocolate and strawberry.’’ She couldn’t help being shy with his intense glances. He looked like her as if he was at the Louvre, seen the most beautiful masterpieces of the museum.

‘’The famous Beauchamp cake, I’m finally having the honor of proving it.’’ Jamie couldn’t take his eyes from her even if he tried.

‘’So, backing there…You called Dougal on the middle of the honeymoon?’’ She raised an eyebrow, smirking.

‘’The way you’re saying, it sounds like I interrupted something…’’ He made a face and then shook his head, trying to push his terrible imagination away, making her laugh. He loved making her laugh, specially when he knew he was the reason.

‘’...In my defense, Dougal was already asleep and Geillis was the one who answered it. Anyway, she made me an interrogatory about why I wanted your bakery’s address, do ye believe it?’’

‘’To be honest, I do believe it. Did she prank you?’’Claire asked, even though she imagined the answer.

‘’How did you know?’’ He was a little bit surprised, although he knew they were best friends, so it made sense.

‘’Typical Geillis.’’ She rolled her eyes.

‘’She asked my intentions about you.’’ He confessed, analyzing her expression while her took a sip of the coffee.

‘’She WHAT?’’ Claire almost chocked with the coffee, although it sounded like a normal Geillis attitude. ‘’I cannot believe she would ask such a thing!’’ She laughed.

‘’But I can’t blame her for being concern, I left the wedding without even saying goodbye to you.’’ He said, looking directly to her eyes to show honesty. A serious expression took the place of Claire’s smile.

‘’I’m really sorry for that.’’

‘’It’s okay, you don’t need to apologize...After all, I did the same thing when we first met.’’ She said, but her melancholic eyes could show how disappointed and upset she was with that. Part of Claire needed to know the reason he left, at the same time the other half of her was afraid of knowing it.

‘’It’s not okay.’’ The redhead said, taking her hand full of wheat flour. ‘’I wanted to say goodbye properly. I really like you, Claire.’’ He was blushing. Saying that out load made his heart seem to be on the throat.

‘’So what happened?’’ Claire finally asked, with her heartbeat as speed up as his. She thought it was pretty cute that he wanted to give her explanations. _If he wanted to tell the reason_ _why he left_ _, it couldn’t be a bad thing...Right?_

‘’My nephew was born. My sister was already at the hospital when she called me, so I had to run.’’ Jamie told her. ‘’I wish I had stayed a little longer to see you holding the bouquet, or enough to give you a good-bye kiss.’’

Claire’s heart felt light, as if an enormous weight had been lifted and her cheeks got pink. Suddenly, she wasn’t upset with him anymore. Now all she could feel was happiness for him being there, right in front of her eyes.

He had, in deed, a good reason to left.

He didn’t abandoned her, he had an unpredictable event.

He didn’t want to leave her.

_He wanted to see her holding the bouquet._

She couldn’t avoid sighing with relief. ‘’So is just that? God I thought it was something like ‘ _my girlfriend called me_ ’ situation.’’ She confessed, without measuring what she said. The words seemed to be good when they were on her mouth.

This line made Jamie arched his eyebrows, as if he wasn’t waiting for this kind of comment.

_She didn’t trust me?_ _She thinks I’m this kind of guy?_

‘’So you thought I had a girlfriend?’’ He cleared his throat, while wiping his mouth with a napkin. The redhead felt confused and a little bit offended. He thought she knew he was different.

‘’I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense…’’ She blushed and looked directly to the floor, wringing her hand nervously. ‘’I’m sorry if it sounded offended, I didn’t meant that, it’s just...After you’re cheated on, your mind turn into this paranoid mess and nothing else seem impossible.’’

Jamie gave a deep sight, feeling bad for that. He was suppose to understand her, after all, he was also cheated on. He, more than anyone, should know how it can destroy confidence and mental healthy. It wasn’t her fault feeling insecure like that, it was just another scar made by Frank’s relationship.

‘’You don’t need to apologize, lass. It’s not your fault to doubt of me, I left without explanations...But I just want you to know that If had a girlfriend, I wouldn’t be kissing you last night.’’ Jamie said, looking directly to her eyes to prove the veracity on his words.

‘’So you got no girlfriend? How a talent photographer like you had no one?’’ The cooker smiled, taking a piece of the cake and eating it. That kind of phrase wasn’t an accusation, it was more like a flirt of her.

‘’You answer _me_ how the best cooker of the world doesn’t have a boyfriend.’’ Jamie complimented her, while putting a lot of cake in his mouth. ‘’Seriously, Sassenach, It’s like eating a piece of Heaven!’’

She loved how he praised her every time he had a chance. Claire felt how genuine his remarks were.

The British couldn’t stop thinking how cute he was when he ate. She could cook all day just to have the chance to stare him eating her food.

‘’Maybe I hadn’t found the one yet.’’ She glanced at him with a big smile.

That phrase made Jamie’s heart almost stop, although he could imagine that was an indirect, he was still surprised.

‘’I thought you didn’t believe in long-lasting relationships _.’’ He frowned_ _while chewing the cake._

‘’Perhaps I had met someone recently that changed my mind.’’ The English accent in her voice was the key for his body relaxation. Suddenly, he could feel Claire’s leg caressing his under the table; That unexpected contact made his heart pound again. He swallowed hard.

Claire knew it was the right moment to talk about her feelings, although the idea of getting involve again made her bones tense, her heartbeats couldn’t lie; They were louder that the fear of being rejected.

The scare of loosing him was bigger. She recognized that after he left the weeding and an empty occupied her heart. Claire didn’t want to loose him just because of this silly fear.

_She didn’t want to loose him._

She never wanted to feel that empty again, she never wanted him far from her again.

_The risk of loving_ _is_ _insane...It can open wounds at the same time that it can heal it._

‘’Oh really? And who would be the lucky one?” The Photographer asked, approaching her. Although he could deduce the answer, he was still afraid of being wrong.

‘’Let’s say he is Scottish and loves to go on weddings.’’ She said, biting her lower lip. Claire knew exactly how to let him breathless.

‘’Hmmm...I think I know something like this...What else?’’ He was enjoying their little flirt game.

‘’What else? Well, he is very tall, charming and...And, for some reason, he insists in calling me Sassenach!’’ The cooker said, her eyes full of pure seduction.

At this time, they were with their faces really close to each other. Claire could feel his warm breath heating up her lips, his smell of wet grass attracting her even more. She had never felt connected to someone in a way so intense, and principally so fast.

Jamie couldn’t take his thoughts away from her soft leg caressing his. The touch was stimulating sensations that he thought he would never feel it again, her dulcet tones were like massage to his ears and every word of her made his desire grow even more.

He was already accustomed with his heart acting like a time bomb on his chest when she was close. She had the power to make him feel relaxed and anxious at the same time.

‘’I already told ye why I call you that…’’

‘’But I like to hear you explaining over and over…’’ She said, while staring his lips.

The sound of the poured rain was the perfect soundtrack while their lips were touching. It’s like they were two flaming candles, dancing on the dark night with each other.

The kiss made them feel like they knew each other from a long time, maybe another life or era.

Claire never believe in fate, but when she was kissing him, she could believe even in fairies and elves. She felt like a withered flower, reborn on the spring.

_Jamie was her spring._

The feelings on her body that she couldn’t find words to describe, they all made sense when she was kissing him. The leaping of her heart every time they touched was unutterable, and not even her knew how to explain it, but she knew that was special.

_He was special._

Everything got calm when he was around her, all frustration that Claire once felt was disintegrated and reduced to ashes.

Jamie was a bright sun after a violent storm; He was a calm drizzle after a long summer day.

Everything made sense when she was kissing him, even what she couldn’t explain.

Jamie thought he had already met love before, but he realized he was wrong when his lips were stuck on Claire’s. The taste of her lips were better than the chocolate cake in Jamie’s opinion.

What was the most impressive to him, is that they barely knew each other and she already made him feel like the luckiest man in the world. He never felt so free kissing someone, he never felt like that before.

His heart was almost jumping out of his chest, like it was going to escape. His passion for Claire dominated his body, he could feel that every cell of him was entirely in love with her.

The Photographer couldn’t help imagining how it would be their connection in a few years. There couldn’t be another way, now that he met love in that British lips, he couldn’t be happy without her presence.

Her presence was vital for him, like oxygen to his lugs.

And they both knew that it was more than just mutual attraction. Their kiss could cross any physical boundary, it was the representation of their intense bold.

They could feel, through the kiss, that wasn’t a regular love. That wasn’t a simple passion, or a passenger romance. They could feel that was more than just flirting and, as much as finding the right person was a scary idea, it seemed right when they were together.

Nothing matter when Claire was feeling his sweet touch. Even though admitting that he was essential and crucial to her was scary, admitting that she was taken roots and allowing herself to love again was a risk, she didn’t care when she was on his arms.

There was no coming back, she wouldn’t hold herself and prune her feelings like a tree.

She was ready to let the roots grow freely.

She would give him her heart, even if it meant getting hurt again. She would take the risk, she didn’t want her past traumas impeding her happiness.

Claire ran her hands into that wet hair, the red strands were soft and silky like clouds, or like cotton candy. Meanwhile, Jamie caressed her icy cheeks with his fingers.

_Claire wanted their love to last all the seasons._

_Of all the years._

Unfortunately their kiss was abruptly broken when Claire, trying to get closer of him, accidentally dropped the coffee cup on Jamie’s lap.

For his lucky, the coffee was already cold.

_Unlike their lips._

Both opened their eyes. They were so inserted in the feeling of snogging that backing to reality seemed like a time travel, the two of them confuse and shocked about what happened.

Claire was relief for not having any clients that day, because that was the most intense and savage kiss she had.

‘’Oh my...I’m sorry, Jamie.’’ She was blushing. ‘’I’m gonna take you some napkins.’’

‘’That...That’s not a problem, Sassenach.’’ The redhead murmured, while analyzing the critical situation of his t-shirt. Now it had a big coffee stain on it.

Jamie truly wasn’t caring at all for his t-shirt. He was still sedated because of the kiss.

Some minutes later, a desperate Claire showed up with a mountain of napkins.

‘’I clean it.’’ She said, trying to dry his green t-shirt.

‘’Ye don’t need to do it, I mean...It’s raining outside, It’s probably gonna clean it.’’ He tried to console her, but she didn’t change her mind.

‘’Are you sure? I’m afraid it can let a mark on it…’’ Claire bit her lower lip.

‘’I wouldn’t mind, I would always remember you when I see it.’’ Jamie said, giving her a side smile.

‘’I’m serious…’’ She rolled her eyes, although her face had a silly smile. ‘’and And besides, I don’t wanna be reminded as the girl that ruined your t-shirt.’’

‘’You could be the girl that teaches me how to _cook.’’_ The Scottish said, although instead of _cook_ he wanted to say love.

‘’I was baking some breads before you came… Do you wanna try?’’ She raised an eyebrow, as if she was defying him.

‘’Is this a challenge, Sassenach?’’ He squinted, with a fun smile. ‘’Because if it is, challenge excepted.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to ask...Where are you from? I'm asking it because two of you thought I could be Italian or Spanish, but no, I'm Brazilian (speak Portuguese) XD  
> So that made me want to know where are my readers from, I would like to know <3


	7. Winter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarie tries to teach Jamie how to cook bread;

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> I'm very boring about posting chapters because I always correct it like, three times before I post it, so that's why it took me one week to update;  
> And thank you all for all support and love you're giving, it means a lot to me, specially because I wasn't waiting so much people reading it, so I'm truly grateful.

  
‘’Hmm...Jamie? Jamie?’’ Claire asked, shaking her hand in front of his eyes, as if she was trying to get him off a trance.

‘’Uh, what?’’ He asked, blinking several times. He hadn't even noticed how dumb he looked when he was staring at her.  
Jamie tried his best to listen to what the British was explaining, but no matter how he tried, he couldn’t.  
She was so beautiful when she was cooking that he couldn’t focus, it was like his brain couldn't pay attention in face of such a pretty woman. Her strong accent made things harder; he was crazy about it.

‘’Did you pay attention on anything I said?’’ She put her hands on her waist, her accent was stronger when she got mad. 

‘’Sorry, Sassenach, is just...It’s hard to concentrate when your teacher is too attractive.’’ The Photographer gave a side smiled, dissolving the serious expression on her face. He had the secret formula to dismount her.

‘’Cooking bread is a sacred art, Fraser. You should take it serious.’’ Claire glanced at him, she couldn't avoid smiling. She tried very hard not to stare him for long, as if a shyness could invade her cheeks immediately.  
The fact is that she loved to dive into the blue of his eyes, she could drown in them and she wouldn’t even care; All she wanted is having her hole body submerged in the immensity of those eyes.

‘’Or what?’’ He rise an eye brown, with a provocative smile stamped on his face. It was impossible to take that smile away when she was around.

‘’Or this.’’ 

Jamie could never predict what she would do next, because her agile movement prevented any kind of reasoning by him.  
Suddenly, the Scottish’s hair was all white. He had an expression shock on his face; His brain was trying to process what happened.  
He coughed a little while she was covering her mouth with both hands; She couldn’t contain her laugh.

The cooked had hurled a handful of flour at him.

‘’How dare you? Flour War!’’ 

Suddenly, wheat flour was flying by all the kitchen. Both laughing while they were hit by each other. Claire couldn’t understand how everything could turn into fun when Jamie was around, like if he had been casting a spell on her to colored the world every time they were together.

After some minutes of fun, they stopped, breathless. They looked like two kids, playing with food when the parents aren’t on the room. It seemed to have snowed inside of that bakery, because everything was covered by the white of the flour.

‘‘Oh God...We messed all the kitchen...Sorry Sassenach.’’ Jamie said when he realized how dirty the kitchen got. However he felt a little bit guilty about that, he couldn't be regret; That would be the kind of memory he would keep with him forever.

The smile on Claire's face was the most pure he had ever seen, he would do anything to see her smiling like that. Little did he know that he was the only one capable of unleashing that smile on her.

‘’I was the one who started, you don’t need to apologize.’’ She said, while cleaning her face with a yellow towel. ''Now the winter came earlier, isn't that great?''

Jamie just laughed with her last comment. He couldn’t imagine anyone besides her that wouldn’t be furious with that mess.  
He also realized that even with flour on her hair, she looked gorgeous. She was always attractive when it came about Jamie's opinion.

She finally looked directly to him. Now her face was the only part of her that wasn’t full of flour.

An idea crossed Jamie’s mind. A malicious smile was formed in his face.

‘’You wouldn’t dare.’’ Claire said, as if she could read his mind or imagine what he wanted to do. She could feel the intentions through that face. _Through that beautiful face and that charming smile._

‘’Wouldn’t I?’’ 

Almost like instinctively, he took the British by her waist and puller her closer, sprouting a long kiss on her delicate lips.   
The towel was useless, because after that, Claire’s face had more flour than before.

From Jamie’s point of view, Claire smelled like vanilla; maybe because she was a cooker, or perhaps to match with her sweet personality.   
It was the third time they kissed, and that time, he could feel that she was more relaxed, as if her lips had no hurry to explore his mouth and the feeling of being his.

He felt like her lips could erase all mistakes of the world, and that she could maybe the answer for all the problems.

_She was the answer for all his problems._

Kissing her gave him sense of life. He felt like a scientist discovering the most genius breakthrough when they were making out. Jamie held her as if he was holding the most precious thing in the world.

Although she turned into his hole _world_ since they touch each other's skin.

Every time their lips touch, Claire’s heart felt like creating wings. That moment was so perfect that she was considering to pinch her arm just to make sure it wasn’t a dream.  
Every moment with him was like be living in a dream; 

Although she could never imagine a man like Jamie could exist, even in her dreams. She could never imagine someone could be make her feel like a child riding a bike for the first time just with one touch.  
She thought this kind of thing just existed in movies, or maybe on books.  
But this was until they kissed.

Part of her wished that she could take a picture of that moment, just to register and console those minutes forever. It was one of that moments that you want to remember until you are wise and old.

Suddenly, he stopped to give attention to her neck. Jamie couldn’t control himself anymore, he wanted to desperately prove the taste of her soft skin.  
His breath made her skin crawl. She had never felt so desired before, the kisses on her neck was making her feel in heaven, dancing in the clouds.

‘’You taste like wheat flour.’’ He murmured between the kisses, leaving a trail of flour on her shoulders. His conclusion made her giggle, specially because the warm of his mouth was close to her ear.

‘’I can’t believe you’re soiling me again.’’ Claire said. His beard made tickles on her.

‘’In my lands this is called revenge, Sassenach. Do ye wanna me to stop?’’ Jamie talked with difficulty, he was very dedicated to drive her crazy.

‘’Don’t you dare to stop.’’ She hold his red curls as If she needed him to breath, as if her life depended on him.

Claire was impressive how the Scottish could not only make her laugh, but also give her pleasure. She usually wouldn’t like the idea of kissing in the middle of the kitchen, specially with food involved...But with Jamie was different.  
Everything was different.

_He was different._

Jamie loved how she was vulnerable to his kisses. He loved to know that he had the power to make her crave for more.  
He loved to know that she trusted on him.  
He felt like a musician playing on his favorite instrument, as if he knew all her strings of her body and how to make her heart speed up more than it’s humanly possible.

He knew how to play all the chords to access her heart; he knew it by heart.

~~~

‘’Much more interesting than cooking breads, uh?’’ Claire said, after taking a break of Jamie’s ride on her skin. She needed to catch her breath ‘’Even though, you still didn’t learn it.’’

‘’That’s good. That way I can have one more excuse to see ye.’’ Jamie said, admiring every detail of her face as if he wanted to record this memory.

‘’You don’t need excuses to see me.’’ She smiled, admiring all details of his handsome face.

‘’That’s relieving, I was worry I had to wait for another wedding to meet you.’’ He joked. His hands were stuck like glue on her waist.

‘’At least we don’t get dirty on weddings.’’ Claire responded, trying to get out flour of her arm.

‘’You know what would be nice?’’ Jamie said, suddenly looking at the biggest window of the bakery.

‘’What?’’ She asked, trying to imagine what other idea Jamie's mind was creating. 

‘’We could take all the flour off with the rain. ’’ The photographer suggested. His eyes were full of excitation.

After that, a serious expression went through her face; An expression that Jamie could interpret that something was bothering her.

‘’But that’s gonna be weird...’’ She looked away.

‘’Why?’’ He frowned. 

‘’Because it requires a lot of intimacy, I don’t know if I’m ready for that.’’

‘’Are you serious? I mean, minutes ago we were hitting each other’s face with flour, I don’t think there is anything more intimate than that.’’ Jamie said, trying to understand her. He was a very stubborn man, and he wouldn't give up until he knew what was the real problem.

‘’It’s not that, it’s just...'' Claire was a terrible liar, so soon or later she would have to tell him the real reason. '' I don’t like my hair wet.’’

She confessed, escaping from his eyes. She knew it sounded stupid, but it was an insecurity inside her that she couldn't just silence. 

‘’You...what? No way! Why?’’ The photographer asked, stroking her face with his thumb. He wanted her to feel comfortable, he wanted to be the one she could tell anything, even the dumbest things or her worst nightmares.

‘’I don’t know...It’s just, Frank used to say that I was ugly with wet hair'' She gasped. She hated to bring his name back, but she couldn't avoid it that moment. ''I think I just buried it in my mind.’’

Jamie should have known what the problem was.  
 _Frank, of course._

Every time the name Frank came out of her mouth, Jamie wanted to punch on Frank’s face until Claire forgets about all the things he did. It was more than just jealous, he felt mad about all she went through because of him.

All the insecurities that lived inside her heart were planted by him, and Jamie was determined to save that garden.

‘’Sassenach…’’ Jamie took her hand and gave it a long kiss. ‘’ I’m not lying when I say that you’re the prettiest woman that even walked on this earth. I bet that even bald you are beautiful, there is no possibility of the words _Claire_ and _ugly_ be in the same phrase. If you feel insecure enough to not want me to see you wet, it’s okay.’’

She loved how comprehensive he was, how he could understand parts of her that even she couldn’t. His words and sweetness made her feel confident, as if he could cut all the insecurities that once were rooted inside her.

‘’I want to do it.’’

‘’You know you don’t have to if you feel uncomfortable.’’ He looked serious to her, in a way she could never forget. The Scottish rarely wasn't smiling or laughing, but that time, he was worried about her welfare.

‘’But I feel comfortable with you.’’ She blushed. ‘’ I wanna dance in the rain with you.’’

‘’Well, I hadn’t thought about dancing, but now I want it more than everything.’’ He said, while kissing her forehead. ‘’But just under one condition.’’

‘’What?’’ She asked, confused. The serious expression was still prevailing on his face.

‘’I wanna go out with you.’’

She gave a short laugh.

‘’I’m serious Sassenach! I wanna see you more.’’

_I wanna date you._

‘’Like a date?’’ She wanted to hear the words getting out of his mouth.

‘’Yes, like a date.’’ He said, hoping she would say yes, although he knew the answer was probably positive.

‘’Deal, but only if one day you teach me how to take pictures.’’

‘’Only if you let me make a photographic essay of you.’’

‘’You seriously need to stop making agreement upon agreement.’’ She laughed.

‘’Do you have anything else to add?’’ 

‘’Yes I have.’’

‘’What would it be?’’

‘’The last one to arrive is a rotten egg!’’ Claire said, running to the door’s direction.

Jamie had the power to awake an immeasurable delight on Claire. She felt like ten years old again, as if she had everything she needed to be happy.

They went to the rain, dancing as if no one could watch.  
And no matter how strange they could look, they didn’t care;  
They had each other’s company.  
And that was more than enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, and before I forget it...Thank you all that shared where you are from! It's very interesting knowing where are your   
> readers from, and how this story reached different people from different places.
> 
> And I have no idea how long this chapter got...But I think not so extensive as the others. Anyway, not my favorite one, but I still liked it :)


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